cc.floodtide-第38章

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tral　America　alone。〃
　
　Pitt　stared　out　the　window　at　the　calm　waters　of　Puget　Sound。　The　rain　had　passed；　and　the　clouds　were　being　scattered。　A　rainbow　slowly　formed　over　the　docks。　〃Has　anybody　a　clue　to　where　it　will　all　end？〃
　
　〃With　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　people；〃　Sandecker　said。　〃The　last　census　put　the　U。S。　population　at　roughly　two　hundred　and　fifty　million。　With　the　ing　increase　in　births　and　immigration；　legal　and　illegal；　the　population　will　soar　to　three　hundred　and　sixty　million　by　the　year　twenty　fifty。〃
　〃Another　hundred　million　in　the　next　fifty　years；〃　said　Giordano　dolefully。
　〃I　hope　I'm　gone　by　then。〃　Gunn　said　thoughtfully；　〃Hard　to　imagine　the　changes　in　store　for　the　country。〃
　〃Every　great　nation　or　civilization　either　fell　by　corruption　from　within　or　was　altered　forever　by　foreign　migration；〃　said　Sandecker。
　
　Giordino's　face　registered　indifference。　The　future　was　of　little　concern　to　him。　Unlike　Pitt；　who　found　pleasure　in　the　past；　Giordino　lived　only　for　the　present。　Gunn；　contemplative　as　ever；　stared　down　at　the　floor；　trying　to　picture　the　problems　a　population　increase　of　fifty　percent　would　bring　with　it。
　Pitt　said　dryly；　〃And　so　the　President　in　his　infinite　wisdom　expects　us　to　plug　the　dike　with　our　fingers。〃
　〃Just　how　are　we　supposed　to　conduct　this　crusade？〃　asked　Giordino；　carefully　removing　a　huge　cigar　from　a　cedar　wrapper　and　slowly；　very　slowly；　rolling　the　end　over　the　flame　from　a　lighter。
　Sandecker　stared　at　the　cigar；　his　face　reddening　as　he　recognized　it　as　one　from　his　private　cache。　〃When　you　arrive　in　Manila　at　the　international　airport；　you　will　be　met　by　a　man　named　John　Smith…〃
　〃That's　original；〃　Giordino　muttered。　〃I've　always　wanted　to　meet　the　guy　whose　signature　I　see　above　mine　on　motel　registers。〃
　
　To　a　stranger　sitting　in　on　the　discussion；　it　would　seem　none　of　the　NUMA　men　had　the　slightest　respect　for　one　another；　and　that　there　was　a　cloud　of　animosity　hanging　over　them。　Nothing　could　be　further　from　the　truth。　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　nothing　but　total　and　unabridged　admiration　for　Sandecker。　They　were　as　close　to　him　as　to　their　own　fathers。　Without　the　slightest　hesitation；　they　had　on　more　than　one　occasion　risked　their　own　lives　to　save　his。　The　give…and…take　was　a　game　they　had　played　many　times　over　the　years。　The　apathy　was　a　sham。　Pitt　and　Giordino　were　too　wildly　independent　to　accept　instructions　without　a　display　of　rebellion。　Nor　were　they　known　to　jump　up　and　salute　before　dashing　out　the　door　to　do　their　duty　with　an　overabundance　of　fervor。　It　was　a　scene　of　puppets　pulling　the　strings　of　puppets　with　an　underlying　sense　of　humor。
　
　〃We　land　in　Manila　and　wait　for　a　John　Smith　to　make　himself　known；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I　hope　there's　more　to　the　plan　than　that。〃
　
　Sandecker　went　on。　〃Smith　will　escort　you　to　the　dock　area；　where　you'll　board　a　tired　old　intercoastal　freighter。　A　singularly　unmon　vessel；　as　you　will　discover。　By　the　time　you　set　foot　on　the　deck；　NUMA's　Sea　Dog　II　submersible　will　be　secured　aboard。　Your　job；　when　the　opportunity　arises；　will　be　to　inspect　and　photograph　the　hull　of　the　United　States　below　the　waterline。〃
　
　Pitt　shook　his　head；　his　expression　one　of　incredulity。　〃We　cruise　around；　examining　the　bottom　of　a　ship　that's　the　length　of　three　football　fields。　Shouldn't　take　more　than　forty…eight　hours　of　downtime。　Naturally；　Qin　Shang's　security　people　wouldn't　think　of　dropping　sensors　around　the　hull　for　just　such　an　intrusion。〃　He　looked　at　Giordino。　〃How　do　you　see　it？〃
　〃Like　giving　a　nipple　to　a　baby；〃　Giordino　said　casually。　〃My　only　problem　is；　how　does　a　submersible　with　a　top　speed　of　four　knots　keep　up　with　a　ship　that　cruises　at　thirty…five　knots？〃
　Sandecker　gave　Giordino　a　long；　sour　look；　then　answered　the　question。　〃You　conduct　your　underwater　survey　while　the　ship　is　docked　in　port。　That　goes　without　saying。〃
　〃What　port　have　you　got　in　mind？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃CIA　informants　in　Sevastopol　report　that　the　ship's　destination　is　Hong　Kong；　where　the　final　interiors　and　furnishings　will　be　fitted　before　she　takes　on　passengers　for　voyages　in　and　around　port　cities　of　the　United　States。〃
　〃The　CIA　is　in　on　this？〃
　〃Every　investigative　agency　in　the　government　is　cooperating　with　INS　until　they　can　work　together　to　bring　the　situation　under　control。〃
　〃The　intercoastal　freighter；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Who　owns　and　operates　it？〃
　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking；〃　Sandecker　replied。　〃You　can　forget　any　connection　with　an　intelligence　agency。　The　vessel　is　privately　owned。　That's　all　I　can　tell　you。〃
　Giordino　exhaled　a　large　blue　cloud　of　cigar　smoke　toward　a　tank　full　of　fish。　〃There　must　be　over　a　thousand　miles　of　water　between　Manila　and　Hong　Kong。　Any　old　tramp　steamer　I've　ever　seen　seldom　made　more　than　eight　or　nine　knots。　We're　looking　at　a　voyage　of　almost　five　days。　Do　we　have　the　luxury　of　that　much　time？〃
　〃You'll　be　docked　in　Hong　Kong　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　United　States　and　staring　up　at　her　keel　within　forty…eight　hours　after　leaving　the　Philippines；〃　answered　San…decker。
　
　〃That；〃　said　Giordino；　his　eyebrows　raised　in　skepticism；　〃should　prove　interesting。〃
　
　
　IT　WAS　ELEVEN　O'CLOCK　IN　THE　EVENING；　PHILIPPINES　TIME；　when　Pitt　and　Giordino　stepped　off　a　mercial　flight　from　Seattle；　passed　through　customs　and　entered　the　main　terminal　lobby　of　the　Ninoy　Aquino　International　Airport。　Off　to　the　side　of　a　milling　crowd　they　found　a　man　holding　a　crudely　lettered　cardboard　sign。　Placards　in　the　hands　of　greeters　usually　advertised　the　names　of　arriving　passengers。　This　one　simply　said　SMITH。
　
　He　was　a　great　slob　of　a　man。　He　might　have　been　an　Olympic　weight　lifter　at　one　time；　but　his　body　had　gone　to　seed　and　his　stomach　had　grown　into　an　immense　watermelon。　It　sagged　and　hung　over　a　pair　of　soiled　pants　and　an　over…stressed　leather　belt　three　sizes　too　small。　The　face　appeared　scarred　from　dozens　of　fights；　and　his　great　hooked　nose　had　been　broken　so　often　it　veered　to　one　side　across　the　left　cheek。　Stubble　covered　the　lips　and　chin。　It　was　difficult　to　tell　whether　his　eyes　looked　bloodshot　from　too　much　booze　or　too　little　sleep。　The　black　hair　was　plastered　over　his　head　like　some　kind　of　greasy　skullcap；　and　the　teeth　were　irregular　and　yellow。　His　biceps　and　forearms　seemed　remarkably　taut　and　muscled　in　parison　with　the　rest　of　him；　and　were　laden　with　tattoos。　He　wore　a　grimy　yachtsman's　cap　and　dingy　coveralls。　〃Shiver　me　timbers；〃　muttered　Giordino；　〃if　it　isn't　old　Blackboard　hisself。〃
　
　Pitt　walked　up　to　the　mangy　derelict　and　said；　〃Good　of　you　to　meet　us；　Mr。　Smith。〃
　
　〃Happy　to　have　you　aboard；〃　Smith　said　with　a　cheerful　smile。　〃The　captain's　expecting　you。〃
　
　Carrying　only　a　few　articles　of　underwear；　toiletries　and　work　shirts　and　pants　picked　up　at　a　surplus　store　on　the　way　to　the　Seattle　airport；　and　all　stuffed　in　a　pair　of　small　carry…on　tote　bags；　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　no　reason　to　wait　at　the　baggage　carousel。　They　fell　in　behind　Smith　and　walked　out　of　the　terminal　into　the　airport　parking　lot。　Smith　stopped　at　a　Toyota　van　that　looked　as　if　it　spent　its　life　in　endurance　runs　around　the　Himalayan　Mountains。　Half　the　windows　were　broken　out　and　taped　closed　with　plywood　boards。　The　body　paint　was　faded　to　the　primer；　and　the　rocker　panels　were　rusted　away。　Pitt　observed　the　deeply　treaded　off…road　tires　and　listened　with　interest　to　the　throaty　roar　of　a　powerful　engine　as　it　immediately　kicked　to　life　when　Smith　pressed　the　starter。
　
　The　van　moved　off　with　Pitt　and　Giordino　sitting　on　the　torn　and　worn　vinyl　upholstery。　Pitt　lightly　prodded　his　friend　with　his　elbow　to　get　his　attention　and　spoke　loud　enough　for　the　driver　to　hear。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Giordino；　is　it　true　you're　a　very　observant　person？〃
　
　〃That　I　am；〃　Giordino　came　back；　picking　up　Pitt's　intent　instantly。　〃Nothing　escapes　me。　And　let　us　not　forget　you；　Mr。　Pitt。　Your　powers　of　prognostication　are　also　world…renowned。　Would　you　like　to　demonstrate　your　talents？〃　〃I　would　indeed。〃
　〃Let　me　begin　by　asking；　what　do　you　make　of　this　vehicle？〃
　〃I　have　to　say　it　looks　like　a　prop　out　of　a　Hollywood　movie　tha